Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

Join the Real Food – Low Cost Challenge!

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I’ve decided to do things just a little bit differently during the next few days, just for kicks. :)  Since most of last week’s posts were discussing the expense of eating healthy, whole foods – let’s do a little experimenting, putting some healthy recipes to the test. An “expense test”.

Instead of planning a full menu for this week, I have instead made a list of a few of our family’s favorite recipes – recipes that you’ll find regularly on our weekly menu plans. Throughout the next several days, I will be making each of these recipes. Then, I’ll pull out the calculator and do a price break-down to determine just how much it costs to make these healthy foods. I will post frequent updates, sharing the results I’ve found. I’m excited to see which of my recipes might be most costly to make, and which ones might be less expensive. This is not something I’ve ever done before, so I’m pretty excited about this experiment!

Now of course, I can’t help but want to challenge you to get involved in this experiment too. You knew that was coming, right? :)

I’d love for you to also take some of your family’s favorite healthy, real food recipes and do a little cost break-down on them. You might just be surprised at what you discover! Keep on the look-out, because throughout this challenge, I have a few fun surprises in store as we put these recipes to the test. Then mark your calendar, because on Thursday, February 9, we’ll all come together with a special Real Food – Low Cost Link-Up, so that you can also share with us some of your family’s favorite real food, low cost recipes.

Here are the recipes I plan to do a price break-down on during this experiment:

~ Applesauce Bread

~ Simple Soaked Pancakes

~ Homemade Poptarts

~ Warm Vanilla Soother

~ Chicken And Noodles

~ Homemade Pizza

~ Italian Pasta Bake

~ Cheddar Ranch Burgers

~ Taco Potatoes

~ Easy Noodle Stir Fry

Be watching for lots of fun updates detailing what I’ve discovered about the specific costs of our food. You can, at any time during those posts, share some of your discoveries too.

Sound like fun? Let the challenge begin!

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Keeping Expenses Low While Eating a Healthy Diet

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Be sure to read Is It Expensive to Eat Healthy Food, Part One and Is It Expensive to Eat Healthy Food, Part Two if you missed them!

The choices our family has made, in our effort to eat as healthy as possible, have definitely caused an increase in our grocery budget – not to mention the fact that our boys are now eating a lot more food than they used to eat. I don’t feel like our eating habits can necessarily be called “expensive” to maintain, because we are making what we feel is a wise investment in our health. But yes, it does cost more to eat healthy, whole foods than it costs to eat lower quality foods.

I do what I can to keep our expenses as low as possible. Some of the following ideas may work for you. Some of them may not. I’ll just share the tricks I’ve tried that have worked for us with the hope that you’ll find some new ideas that may work for you too! I will likely go into more detail on each of these as we continue on with our No More Excuses series. So hang with me!

How I Keep Our Expenses Low While Feeding My Family a Healthy Diet…

1. We eat basic, simple meals.

Scroll through all of the Bread and Breakfast, Main Dishes, Side Dishes, and Condiments recipe ideas listed all over my site. None of those recipes are expensive to prepare. Or, if it is a little pricier, I balance it with a meal that is super inexpensive. Remember how I sometimes stretch a chicken to last give us six meals?

Whole Grain Cinnamon Swirl Bread – just over $1.00/loaf!

2. I cook from scratch if at all possible.

As far as I could figure, it costs me just over $1.00 to bake one loaf of Honey Whole Wheat Bread, which is 100% Whole Grain, no corn syrup, organic ingredient filled, top knotch bread. I’m sure if I broke down other recipes I would find that making food from scratch saves us all kinds of money. Every once in a while I splurge on store-bought packaged food, because my sanity appreciates the sacrifice. But overall, I try to make as much as I can so that I keep our expenses much lower.

3. We rarely eat out.

Eating out as a family is not an option that we ever fall back on, except for the very occasional splurge while traveling or rare special occasion or treat. This saves us so much money, making it possible for us to put our hard earned dollars toward healthy ingredients for eating well at home. For more information and inspiration, read this post titled:  Eating Out Less.

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4. We try to think outside the box.

We have researched, asked around, and figured out that there are many ways to save money on healthy groceries by shopping online, through health food co-ops, through local farmers and just by asking the right questions. Many people now call us and offer us their leftover fruit from trees and bushes because they know we’ll love it. Bartering and trading have been a wonderful way to gain access to healthy food for free or cheap. And remember how I shared that talking to a local grocer proved to be a great way to get organic produce for a much lower price? Try this idea – it never hurts to ask!

5. We found a food co-op that provides great prices on great foods.

Our healthy food co-op, Azure Standard, saves us loads of money on healthy foods. Check out the following post to help you find local co-ops that might be of service for you where you live:  What Health Food Co-op Is Near You?

In addition to those ideas, we buy food in bulk, stock up when food is in season or on sale, can and preserve foods from our own garden, grind our own flour, and otherwise work as hard as we can to find ways to feed our family for as little as possible. Look over Our Whole Foods Pantry, Freezers, and Refrigerators Resources page to see a huge list detailing where we find most of our food.

As you work to eat a healthy diet and keep your expenses low, always remember that God is in control, and he knows your heart!

Coming up next in the No More Excuses series:  With All the Conflicting Information Out There, What Does “Healthy” Even Mean?!

I know you are also working as hard as you can and doing the best you can to keep your expenses low. Share what works best for you as you work to stay within your grocery budget. I love that we can all learn from each other!

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Homemade Chocolate Caramel Creamer

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Disclaimer:  No one actually passed out while the following event took place.

Chocolate Caramel Coffee Creamer

Yum

I absolutely do not like coffee. Can’t stand the stuff. Never have liked it, no matter how I’ve tried to doctor it up. However, as I’ve mentioned before, I’ve always loved the way it smells, which is why, when a friend was over one morning earlier this week, I was excited to brew her some coffee. She actually likes how it tastes – and making some for her gave me an excuse to smell it. I know. I’m weird.

This is why I can hardly believe I’m about to say the following words:  I drank a cup of coffee on Tuesday. And I liked it.

Yes, my husband passed out when he heard the news. As did my children. Thankfully, they have all recovered nicely from the shock. I’m not sure I’m over it though. Seriously. I can’t believe I drank a cup of coffee and liked it.

Here’s how it all went down:  When I asked my friend what she would like for her coffee, she told me that she would usually add a shot of “Chocolate Caramel Creamer”. Since she and I are good at talking smack to each other, I said something very gentle and kind like, “Oh gag, are you serious? Do you know what’s in that stuff?”

(Partially hydrogenated oils, plus a bunch of weird stuff I can’t pronounce – in case you were wondering.)

Well, it just so happened that we had hosted a birthday party for Elias last week. And it just so happened that we had offered an ice cream sundae bar during the party. And it just so happened that I had leftover homemade hot fudge sauce, leftover homemade caramel sauce, and fresh cream in my fridge.

So I said to my friend, “You want REAL chocolate caramel creamer in your coffee? I’ll give you chocolate caramel creamer.” And so, I heated some hot fudge and hot caramel on my stove, drizzled them into her coffee, then poured in some fresh cream.

She took one drink and passed out from the deliciousness. Not really. But she loved it and said something like, “You have got to try this!” To which I reminded her, “Um no. I don’t like coffee”.

(It’s just like you’re a fly on my wall, huh? You’ve gotta love a play-by-play of my first coffee drinking experience.)

I finally gave in to the peer pressure, because shucks, it did smell really good, and I took a tiny, little sip. That was when it was my turn to pass out. Wow, it tasted good. I couldn’t believe it, so I took one more small sip just to see if I had completely lost my mind. I think the question of me losing my mind is definitely up for debate, but yeah – that stuff was good. I therefore made myself my very own cup of coffee with hot fudge, hot caramel, and cream. I sat down at the table with my friend, and together, we drank coffee.

Well now, I can’t say I’ve ever been able to write that sentence before.

The reason I share this with you is not ultimately because I have discovered a super healthy new recipe. I can’t say that this beverage is a must-have because of its stellar nutritional content. However, many of you have asked for an alternative to non-dairy creamers, which are really full of some not-so-good-for-you ingredients. If in fact you are looking for a better option for your coffee, I believe this might be just the thing you’re looking for.

Ingredients:  One cup of hot coffee that smells really good, one teaspoon hot fudge sauce, one teaspoon hot caramel sauce, and a few teaspoons of cream.

Make it. Smell it. Try it. And then, we will all pass out together.

Are you a coffee drinker? Have you found any great alternatives to purchased creamers you’d like to share?

UPDATE:  I love coffee now. Who knew?

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Is It Expensive to Eat Healthy Food? Part Two

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Be sure to read Is It Expensive to Eat Healthy Food, Part One if you missed it!

As you consider your grocery budget, and try to make changes in your diet so that you can eat healthier without breaking the bank, here are three important things to consider:

1. Transitioning to Healthy Eating is a Process

If you’re looking to replace every single not so good ingredient in your kitchen with all of the best, healthiest, organic, free range, grass fed, yada yada ingredients, all at the same time – yep, you’re looking at a hefty price tag right from the get-go. Why not take a step back, make a list of changes you’d like to make, then prioritize them and start making small changes – one at a time? What changes can you make that will help you feel better about feeding your family, but that might not hit so hard on the pocket book? Read through this Simple Steps to Healthy Eating Series for some ideas to get you started. But don’t feel like you need to take all the steps at once. Any small step you take puts you on the road toward healthier eating. Some of those steps might just not cost much at all.  And some might actually save you money. How ’bout that?

2. There’s Not a “One Size Fits All” Plan for Eating Healthy

What works for our family may not work for your family. My food resources are likely to be much different from your food resources. The cost of food where I live may be much different from the cost where you live. I’ve heard of free range eggs costing people all the way from $1.00 per dozen to $8.00 per dozen. I’ve gotta say, if free range eggs cost me $8.00 per dozen, I’m pretty sure we’d eat very few eggs and I’d simply buy the regular, cheap ones from the store to use when I bake. Thankfully, I’m blessed to get free range eggs for just $2.50/dozen – a great price if you ask me!

Each family has a different amount to spend on groceries each month. Every family has different dietary needs. Every family has different circumstances. There is no “perfect dollar amount” standard for how much any of us should be spending on healthy food.

I shared more on this subject in this post:  “No Grocery Budget Comparing Allowed”.

3. God is in Control and He Knows Your Heart

No matter what you buy, how much you spend, what you eat, or how you eat it – your choices can honor the One who provides for our every need. If you aren’t blessed to find free range chicken that doesn’t cost the same as your mortgage, you will still honor God and your family by eating a regular ol’ chicken. At the risk of sounding goofy and sacrilegious – God can bless your chicken whether it’s free range or not. God wants us to be wise stewards of our resources and to simply do the best we can with what we have. He knows our individual circumstances and He knows our heart. He understands our desire to do what is right for our family and He will provide what we need to do just that.

Don’t leave God out of the picture and think that you must be the one doing a perfect job selecting, purchasing, and preparing food. God’s gotcha covered. Do not be so focused on trying to make healthy food choices that you lose sight of the One who matters most.

No matter where you are on your healthy eating journey – no matter where you land on specific dietary choices for yourself and for your family, God can and will be glorified.

And that, my friends, is what it’s all about.

What would you consider your biggest struggle in regard to the expense of eating a healthy diet?

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Gratituesday: Three in Double Digits

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I have no idea how we got here so fast, but we now have three children in “double digits”. Yep, our third son, Elias, turned the big 10 last week.

What happened to all those long days of chasing babies and toddlers around the house – those never ending years of diapers, spills, potty training, and sippy cups? Yeah, they ended. I sometimes miss those crazy days of sweet little boy chaos.

And now, here we are in a new season with a houseful of four big kids who are eating so much food I can hardly keep up. Potty training and sippy cups have been replaced by biology labs and soccer practices.

I have loved every season in our lives (okay, maybe I’ve not loved some of the painful seasons – although God has taught us so much about Himself during those times too). This current season, with our teenager, pre-teen, ten year old and seven year old – it’s just pretty stinkin’ awesome.

I’m working to embrace every season in life, no matter what it brings. Right now? Bring on the big boys with their big appetites and big ideas. I’m lovin’ it. :)

Share how God is working in your life on your blog, then come link up with us here. If you don’t have a blog, be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for!

If you are linking up a blog post for Gratituesday,
please copy and paste the following sentence into your post! Thanks!

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

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Is It Expensive to Eat Healthy Food? Part One

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As we dive into our No More Excuses series, I decided to first tackle the excuse that it is “expensive to eat healthy food”. This one seems to be the most popular complaint among those of us who are working to eat and feed our families a healthy diet. I ended up with so much to say on this topic, I divided the material into three separate posts that I will be sharing throughout the week.

To begin part one of these posts regarding the thought that “healthy food is too expensive”, let me just start out by saying, “I hear ya!”. That was my biggest complaint too, my loudest excuse, and one of the main reasons I didn’t think eating a healthy diet was possible for our family. After all, I’m the girl who used to get everything for free or cheap with coupons. The thought of actually spending money on food was painful to me when we started our healthy eating journey. I had no idea where the extra money for healthy food would come from in our already very tight budget.

After lots and lots of research, experimentation, and tweaking of our budget, we finally figured out how to make this work for our family. Ultimately, I had to surrender and let go of the idea that spending money on food was bad, and instead embrace the truth that spending money on good, nourishing food is a wise investment for our family.

But still, it is a fact that coconut oil and olive oil cost more than canola oil and crisco. Real butter costs more than margarine. Whole wheat pasta and real cheese costs more than a box of mac and cheese.

So, does that mean that healthy eating is indeed expensive? I think it’s a matter of perspective. Our grocery budget has definitely gone up since we began our healthy eating journey. The way I cook now is completely different than the way I cooked when I bought processed and unhealthy foods with coupons, but does that mean that our healthy food should be considered expensive?

Pardon my geekiness spewing forth, but just as I did a few years ago, I did a new break down of what it costs to feed my family on an average day. I think it’s very interesting to take a nitty-gritty look at what it costs us to feed one person per day, and to analyze that number to see if in fact I could or should cut back our budget in any way.

We currently spend about $600/month on food. Because there are six in our family, this means that we spend about $100/person/month. This divides into an average of $3.33/day/person, which means that it costs about $1.11 per person per meal.

I don’t think $1.11/meal/person is very expensive, but that’s just my opinion, and as I said earlier, it is a matter of perspective.

As always, remember that there is no comparing or guilt allowed. If you spend more than $1.11 per meal per person – great! If you spend less than that – great! If you could come help me clean my house – great! Oh wait, sorry. I got carried away there for a second. ;)

Above all, we all need to remember that we are all humble people, working to do the best we can with what we have. I feel like there’s a lot left unsaid in this post regarding the expense of healthy food, so stay tuned! In part two of this mini series on Wednesday, I’ll share thoughts on the following three points:

1)Transitioning to Healthy Eating is a Process. 2) There’s Not a “One Size Fits All” Plan for Eating Healthy. 3) God is in Control and He Knows Your Heart

Then, I’ll wrap up the week by sharing some practical ways to eat a healthy, whole foods diet while keeping your costs low.

For today, I’d love to hear a little about your grocery budget break-down. Join my geekiness and do the math. If you care to share, how much do you estimate that it costs to feed one person in your household for each meal?

If you’re concerned that you may be spending too much on food,
I’d encourage you to read this post:  Do You Need to Cut the Grocery Budget?

I’d also like to encourage you to check out Once a Month Mom’s Get Real 2012!

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Menu Plan for the Week

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Here’s our menu plan for the week. If you’re interested in knowing more about how I plan our menus, I’d love for you to read this post!

Sunday, January 22
Oatmeal, fruit
Pasta alfredo, steamed broccoli and carrots, tossed salad
High School Huddle – Nacho Bar with chips, taco meat, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, olives, sour cream, and salsa; chocolate chip brownies

Monday, January 23
Whole wheat waffles, blueberries
Pigs in a blanket, carrots with ranch, apples
Beef and veggie soup, cornbread

Tuesday, January 24
Coconut flour banana muffins, applesauce
Tuna salad on crackers, pears, carrots
Creamy chicken and rice casserole, tossed salad

Wednesday, January 25
Zucchini bread, bananas
Spicy avocado dip with chips, fruit salad
Teriyaki chicken and veggies with rice

Thursday, January 26
Easy breakfast casserole, clementines
Meat and cheese burritos, pineapple
Taco salad

Friday, January 27
Peanut butter honey toast, fruit
Creamy mac and cheese, carrots, apples
Lamb-burgers, homemade fries, green beans

Saturday, January 28
Cereal
Leftovers
Cheesy beef and rice, steamed veggies, tossed salad

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How To Teach Your Small Child to Put on a Coat

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Today, we get to enjoy a blast from the past. Three years ago, I posted about the “Coat Trick” we’ve always used to teach our little bitty kids how to put their coat on by themselves. My little bitty kids are not so little bitty anymore, therefore, they no longer use the coat trick. (Although, I do think it would be funny to see my lanky 5’10” fourteen year old see if he can still do it.)

Our littlest guy is now seven, which means that he was barely four at the time of this original post. The quality of the video below is not great, but it may give you a better idea of how the coat trick is done. And now…how to teach your small child to put on a coat:

First, lay down the coat with the outside part of the coat touching the floor. The neck of the coat should be facing your child. The child puts his arms into the sleeve holes of his coat…

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And flips the coat over his head.

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He adjusts his sleeves…or you adjust them for him.

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Then he wipes his nose with his sleeve. (This step is optional.)

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Tada! Coat is on.

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Here’s a video, which is a much easier way to see how the Coat Trick works. It takes all of 14 seconds to watch. Please be sure to admire Malachi’s silly face as he prepares to show you the Coat Trick on video. The silly face part of the Coat Trick is also optional. :)

Ever used the coat trick? Is it just me or are my babies all growing up? {sniff}

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Healthy Crock Pot Recipes: Hamburger Sauerkraut Dip

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Yum

All I have to say about this recipe is:  Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it.

I completely understand if you read the name of this recipe and your initial reaction was to make a face of disgust. I’m with ya. I don’t like sauerkraut. I don’t like the way it smells. I don’t like the way it tastes. I don’t even like the way it looks.

But I promise you, this dip tastes so good that you really might just pass out from the delicious flavor. It doesn’t taste like sauerkraut at all – but instead is a wonderful mix of flavor that is completely addicting. The first time I tried it, I stuffed myself so full, I could barely walk out of the kitchen. It was not cute.

I got the recipe from my friend Jen, who, for the record, does not like to cook. That may tell you something about how easy this dip is to put together. We prepped all the ingredients together one evening, then I threw everything into my crock pot the next morning for us to chow on that night. And did I mention that I stuffed myself? Seriously, whether you like sauerkraut or not, you must try this dip.

Hamburger Sauerkraut Dip

1 pound ground beef
4 tomatoes, chopped
2-3 green peppers, chopped
27 ounce can of sauerkraut, drained
12 ounces sour cream

Brown ground beef until thoroughly cooked. Stir browned meat, chopped tomatoes and peppers, sauerkraut, and sour cream into a crock pot. Cook on low for 5-8 hours. Stir occasionally. Sneak bites often. Try not to eat the entire pot. Good luck.

Hamburger Sauerkraut Dip

I’m very happy to point out the fact that I have posted all kinds of different cheese dip recipes on this site, so you must surely be very impressed that I have climbed out of my cheese dip lovin’ box to post a dip that is significantly different and exciting. See, here they are:  Healthier Cheese Dip; Super Simple Chip Dip; Cream Cheese Salsa Dip; Hamburger Cream Cheese Dip. And here I am posting a dip recipe that does not include cheese – but sauerkraut. How about that?

So, are you a sauerkraut fan, or do you tend to avoid it? Any chance that if you aren’t a fan, I could convince you to try this dip anyway? I promise you won’t regret it. :)

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Gratituesday: The Wrestling Match

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Wrestling matches with God aren’t very much fun. I’m not even sure why I choose to participate in the sport. But every once in a while I find that He’s calling me to do something that I really, really don’t want to do. And so, the fight begins.

It’s funny that I would fight the One who has all the answers. It kind of seems pointless that I would consciously choose to go up against the Ultimate Champion. And yet, I know that God understands that it’s hard for me to go down without a fight. I believe that He’s okay with me having to meet him over and over again for a knock-down-drag-out. He’s strong enough to handle it. In fact, if God were  to talk smack to me, I’m pretty sure for the past few months He’d have been saying to me, “You want to fight? You want a piece of this? Bring it on, Sistah.” :)

The time of wrestling, arguing, being stubborn, being fearful – that is when God can teach me the biggest lessons. How can I fully understand what He’s trying to do with me if I don’t question what He’s telling me and struggle against trying to grasp and accept His will for my life?

You know what I learned during my latest wrestling match with God? I learned that He will never call on me to do something without also completely preparing and equipping me. I learned that His ways are bigger than my ways. I learned that humbly seeking answers, letting friends in to help, and getting on my knees is the best way to stretch and find the truth.

I also learned that when you wrestle with God, surrender is sweet. God won this wrestling match, but I didn’t come out the loser. I came out with answers.

Victory doesn’t get any sweeter than that.

Share how God is working in your life on your blog, then come link up with us here. If you don’t have a blog, be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for!

If you are linking up a blog post for Gratituesday,
please copy and paste the following sentence into your post! Thanks!

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

 

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